The significance of cultural heritage in food and wine regions: Stories from the Barossa, Australia

Food is an essential component of the tourist experience (Hall, Sharples, Mitchell, Macionis & Cambourne, 2003) and has gained increased recognition in the academic literature in the last decade. A growing interest in food, including where it was grown and how it is prepared and shared, has given rise to a food culture that has influenced the consumption of food at home and on holiday. Travelling to experience a region's food, and in some cases wine, has given agricultural regions an opportunity to diversify and develop tourism experiences based on the local agriculture, often expressed through regional cuisine. To enhance the opportunities for success of regions undergoing tourism diversification, an understanding of the drivers and barriers to developing tourism in agricultural regions is essential. The Barossa is an agricultural region in South Australia that is a renowned as a wine destination and, in more recent times, for its food heritage. Settled in the 1840s by the British and Lutheran refugees from the former Prussian provinces of Silesia, Posen and Brandenburg (now part of Poland), the region is very proud of its heritage, which is expressed through its cultural heritage and food traditions. Today, tourists have the opportunity to enjoy the region's cuisine, which is a fusion of traditional foods with Asian, Italian and modern Australian cuisines for example. Many factors have contributed to the region's reputation for regional food and fine wine. This paper examines the central role of cultural heritage as a key driver in the development of tourism in the Barossa, South Australia.